Child of the moon
by Zerovk
Summary: Every time his parents left for a mission , he'd expected them not to come back . It helped dull the pain , no , the shock . ( eventual kaze )
1. Chapter 1

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When he came back home , holding hands with a silver haired child , his six years old adoptive daughter looked confused , curious , and fascinated . the moment she heard the front door clicking open , she rushed to greet him but stopped as soon as her gaze landed on the unfamiliar child standing next to her foster father . Behind the little girl , stood a brown haired young man , effortlessly concealing his own confusion and curiosity regarding the silver haired little girl behind a mask of diplomatic grace .

Kaien cross felt a weak smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he took a step forward , gently urging the child to follow him .

The brown haired girl , despite feeling a little bit shy , could do nothing but stare at the unearthly beauty before her eyes .

Steps grounding to a halt in front of the brown haired girl , Kaien knelt down to both children's height level before he put a loving hand on their heads , sliding it down to rest at the nape of their necks as he prepared his words .

" Yuki , meet Zero Kiryuu . He will be living with us for a while . "

Though 'From now on' was the more accurate term , the young man couldn't bring himself to say the truth .

Yuki released a soft gasp at that before blurting out " He ?! "

She could not believe it . The boy had very long silver hair that could put silk to shame . It was very long it reached his feet ! He wasn't that tall but still , it was too long for a boy !

Amused , Kaien cleared his throat , alerting his daughter to the fact she might have offended the silverette and so , yuki flailed her arms around and a trail of apologies left her mouth in a haste every word come out stuttered .

The whole time , Zero looked at her as if she was some sort of an alien . Maybe she was . But he could tell she did not pose a threat . If someone did , then it was that man behind her , bearing a great resemblance to her .

If he didn't know better , Zero would have believed that pureblood and the little girl called yuki were related .

It couldn't be possible though . The girl was a human .

Fixing his gaze on the pureblood , Zero did not waver as the brunette returned the intense stare , a flicker of something unreadable rippling in those maroon depths .

The pureblood didn't know how , but that enigmatic child managed to sever the invisible knot brought to life as a result of the intense atmosphere their gazes caused without making it seem like he backed down from a challenge , and instead , fixed his gaze on the ash blond hunter .

What's a pureblood doing here , in a hunter's house ?

Startling violet eyes seemed to ask .

Meanwhile , Yuki found herself ensnared by the fair haired child . He didn't give off a friendly vibe but he wasn't hostile either . That got her too excited . She couldn't wait to make friends with him !

" Chairman , a word ? "

The hunter in question lifted his head upwards , as if he'd only remembered the pureblood's presence in that moment , and sent him a belated nod .

The two adults disappeared into the chairman's office , but not before making sure the kids started to get along .

Once the door clicked shut , Kaien heaved a deep exhausted sigh . The pureblood could tell , however , that it wasn't of physical nature . The hunter looked mentally and emotionally drained.

Frowning at that , the brown haired young man questioned " What's going on ? "

His question was met with another sigh until the chairman started explaining " Kaname , his parents got killed in a mission . They were my friends too . "

For a brief moment , Kaname felt his eyebrows twitch at that misfortune . He did feel sorry . He did sympathize with the child . However , Zero was not the first nor last child forced on such tragic fate . Life had always been cruel . Millions of children had been orphaned at a young age . Life knew no discrimination . Everyone suffered , in different proportions .

What Kaname found befuddling though was the fact Zero didn't exactly look like a child who'd lost both of his parents at the same time . Which was why he found himself asking " Does he know ? "

Hearing that , Kaien looked just about ready to snap , something that rarely to never happened . Kaname noted offhandedly .

" I didn't see it fit to tell a six years old child that both of his parents had been killed . " The words came out defensive and harsh , almost as if they carried a hidden accusation .

A slight crease appeared between Kaname's eyebrows before he gave the hunter a disapproving look that clearly suggested he'd thought Kaien was smarter than that .

A fleeting silence reigned the tension-filled room at that .

The hunter exhaled deeply as he started massaging his temples , feeling as if everything had come crashing down on him at once . He could understand Kaname's point of view . It would have been better if he could tell Zero the truth now . Even though it would be painful , it was always better to say the truth than comfort someone with a lie . It didn't help that Zero was so young . Children especially are very delicate when it comes to such things .

" As much as it pains me to say this , Zero will figure it out on his own . He's a smart kid . But for now , I just can't bring myself to tell him the truth . Trust me , it's better this way ."

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915 words

updated /published 3 nov 2017


	2. Chapter 2

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A week later :

Yuki doesn't normally wake up before 10 o'clock in the weekend . Ever since a certain silver haired beauty has been added to her small one-member family , however , she started waking up earlier , more like asked the chairman to wake her up earlier .

So she could be the one to wake Zero up ..

Kaien could only smile at that as he made his way towards yuki's room , already hiding his most prized possession in his pocket , his darling , his camera that he would use few minutes later to capture the moment his adoptive daughter climbed on Zero's bed and tried waking him up .

It took only a slight encouragement from the chairman to wake her up , something along the lines of him having lots of work to do like waking zero up .

As soon as the name penetrated through yuki's foggy brain , her eyes fluttered open and next thing Kaien knew was her jumping to her feet , making a dash for the bathroom to wash her face before bouncing her way to Zero's room .

Once she got inside , Yuki's steps came to a halt as she took in the sight of her adoptive brother sleeping peacefully , streaks of sunlight caressing his beautiful features as silver strands fell over his face and streamed like a river all around him .

Taking her time , yuki smiled and fell into her new routine , staring at a sleeping Zero like a secret admirer for good five minutes before she decided to wake him up .

It's noteworthy to say that a certain silver haired child is not a morning person .

The moment she got on the bed and began shaking him softly , he stirred , took a pillow and tossed it at her face .

Outside , kaien could not contain his laughter as he watched the two kids engage in a very brutal pillow fight that culminated with Zero's victory , like usual .

It was all fun and games until a flying slipper hit the chairman's head dead on .

He groaned dramatically , clutching his head as he sent a kicked-puppy look to the cruel child of his .

He dropped the comical act , however , when he noticed a different edge to Zero's glare .

The little hunter pouted and proceeded checking on yuki's temperature . he'd felt how warm her face was somewhere during their fight and now that he paid more attention , it surely looked like she was coming down with a cold .

A few hours later witnessed a certain child wearing a dissatisfied expression as he reluctantly stormed his way towards the moon dorm . once he reached the front door , he knocked twice and only had to wait for a few minutes before the door swayed open revealing a male blonde vampire .

Zero felt his eyes twitch at the cheerful smile he saw on the vampire's face .

" Oh .. You are ? "

He obviously sensed the child was a hunter and couldn't help but ask .

Zero could only sigh before preparing himself for a very long phrasing session .

He rolled his sleeves and was about to raise his arm up when his senses picked a familiar voice accompanied with an equally familiar aura .

" Kiryuu ? " Kaname questioned , already formulating an answer to why that child would seek him out . After all , he would only be there to meet someone he already knew .

It might have to do with the chairman or yuki , or something else entirely . Kaname would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised when he sensed the little hunter nearby . he'd only see the child once , when cross came back home with the silverette . That night , they didn't interact much , unless you count the intense stare they gave each other .

Zero merely tilted his head to the side , as if returning the acknowledgement .

'Kuran'

" Kaname , you know this child ? " the blonde noble asked in half curiosity half amusement . the kiryuus had always been known as a prestigious hunter family . The noble couldn't help getting curious over how a kiryuu child ended up here in cross academy .

" Yes , Takuma . He's been living with Cross for a week . What brings you here , kiryuu ? " kaname politely answered before shifting his attention back to the child , only to frown when Zero revealed his forearm and started pointing to the tattooed alphabet there , creating words .

Kaname followed the movement and frowned even more when he put the letters together .

Yuki is ill . the chairman thinks your presence would help make her feel better faster .

the pureblood could feel an all too familiar dread overtake his rationale . it happened every time yuki was in any form of danger . Human beings are fragile . He feared even the smallest of harms could take her life before he got to awaken her .

His aura darkened for a brief moment before he willed himself to focus on anything else , like the fact he had just discovered , Zero Kiryuu being mute .

What ensued was Kaname informing Takuma he would not be back until late at night , before the pureblood took his leave , along with the silver haired little 'princess' , at least that's how the blonde vampire labeled Zero .

Right before they reached the chairman's house , Kaname stopped walking , knelt down on one knee and waited for the child to stop as well .

Confused , Zero slowly turned around to face the pureblood , silver eyebrows knitting in an attempt to comprehend why they stopped .

" Whose idea was that ? " Kaname whispered the question as he moved his gaze to Zero's forearm , as if giving the child a warning .

The little hunter understood that look and oddly enough , he did not back away or even flinch when kuran reached forward with his hand and gently rubbed a thumb over the tattoo .

They locked gazes and began exploring each other's mirror of the soul .

Was that concern or sympathy ?

'You are fooling no one , kuran .' Zero's eyes seemed to say .

Kaname smiled before denying " I'm not trying to fool you . "

Amethyst eyes widened for a second . ' you gave yourself permission to invade my privacy , ha ?'

Zero mentally questioned , already knowing that a person who didn't have any shame doing something once , would not hesitate doing it a second time .

Kuran smiled again . In fact , it seemed like he found some sort of amusement in the whole mess .

" I just thought it would be convenient for you . It's way less of a hassle , right ? I doubt you'd prefer pointing to your arm every time you had to say something . "

The bloodsucker had a point . But Zero would be lying if he said the remark did not hurt him .

My parents . he mouthed , not exactly sure if Kuran knew lip-reading , before yanking his own arm away from the elder's grasp and resuming his walk .

He'd always considered his condition a vulnerability and never liked people knowing about it .

No matter how much he tried , however , it was not something he could just hide .

Trying to adapt was the only thing he could do .

Using sign language was not an option , not many people it knew which made it absolutely pointless . which left a traditional way of communicating ,one that required a paper and a pen . it had a major drawback though . what if he found himself in a situation in which he had no pen or paper ?

That's why his parents thought of the alphabet tattoo .

As if he knew what depressing thoughts raged in the child's head , ( and that might very well be the case ) , Kuran effortlessly caught up with Zero and before the little hunter could register anything , he found himself getting lifted from the ground and felt arms holding him close to a sturdy chest .

What the hell ? He was not a barbie doll !

'Put me down , kuran!' Zero squirmed about , knowing that the bothersome pureblood would read his mind .

" No can do , Kiryuu . " voice playful and soft , the damn pureblood persisted .

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1480 words

updated 5 nov , 2017

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	3. Chapter 3

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Zero could not believe it .

Kuran has done something completely out of character ! He actually carried him as if he were a baby until they reached the front door of the house .

At least , he was kind enough to let him down before he rang the doorbell . It would have been catastrophic , to put it mildly , if Cross saw that . Zero could already imagine the idiot squealing over how precious the moment was and how he would love to capture it . He'd never hear the end of it .

Sighing , the hunter child reclined on the couch before slowly letting himself fall into a lying position .

His cheeks colored at the memory , out of anger and not anything else . he would personally strangle anyone stating otherwise .

It couldn't have flustered him .

But then , he recalled that velvet voice of kuran asking that damn question as if he had a right to know .

'Whose idea was that ?'

My parents ..

Expression turning solemn and dark with grief , Zero found himself struggling to breathe , unable to swallow past the lump forming in his throat .

He was not stupid . He was not clueless .

At first , he truly believed what cross had told him . When a day turned into three and that into a week , however , it was more than obvious his parents weren't just away in a mission , not completely .

Kuran was not present in the living room , staying next to the bedridden yuki , trying to cheer her up . The chairman was doing something in the kitchen .

Zero felt himself itching to know the truth , to hear it , to have it confirmed .

Should he ?

 _Am I even ready ?_

 _Would I take it well_ ?

Cross chose that moment to emerge , eyes taking on an overly cheerful edge as he attempted one of his hug attacks on the unsuspecting child , only to have a cushion shoved in his face , preventing him from getting any closer to the silverette .

What ensued was to be expected , a fit of poor acting and crocodile tears that Zero could only roll his eyes at before he registered a dreadful weight settling in his chest .

His eyes landed on the table where he noticed a small notebook and a pencil .

His heart pounded heavily in his chest , adrenaline rushing through him in rapid jolts he almost thought he would die because of it .

He toned out the sound of Cross wailing about in the background , focusing instead on his own thoughts .

His throat felt too dry all of sudden and without realizing it , he found himself gulping and reaching forward , his hand hovering over the said notebook before he stopped , contemplating it .

violet eyes darted left and right for a moment until he made up his mind . He wouldn't spend the rest of his life deluding himself , right ?

If his fears were real , it was about time he faced them .

It's with newfound determination that he grabbed the notebook and started writing .

The sound of pencil scratching against paper resounded for a moment before the silver haired child placed the pencil down and turned the paper around , showing it to the chairman .

It read 'They are not coming back , are they ?'

The smile Kaien had on his face eventually faded into a thin line as painful realization dawned on him .

Zero had his suspicions after all , ha ?

" I'm so sorry , Zero . I'm sorry it happened , sorry I couldn't tell you sooner .. "

The child could only inhale a mouthful of oxygen before nodding in a slow resigned manner , eyes moistening as he pressed his lips in a thin line , afraid the loudest of sobs would escape his mouth .

He didn't notice when the hand holding the notebook slowly dropped to his lap . He didn't notice the anguished and guilty look Cross sent him .

He could only feel the burning shock growing in his heart .

It shouldn't have come as a shock . He knew . Every time his parents left for a mission , he'd expected them not return . The knowledge of how dangerous their job was had always alleviated the shock of what might happen to them one day , but not the pain of truly losing them.

He knew . And yet , he couldn't help the sharp ache festering like a wound in his heart .

Having confirmed the truth , he wanted to stay alone . Which he knew wouldn't happen unless he went to his room and locked himself in it or left the house for a walk .

The idea of staying confined in the house didn't appeal to him so he chose to go with the latter .

Blinking back the tears , he tightened his hold on the note again and wrote ' I need some fresh air ' , trusting the chairman to take the hint and leave him alone .

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Later :

Kaname was heading back to the moon dorm when he sensed it . Above .

He darted his gaze upwards , russet eyes widening at the sight of one Zero Kiryuu standing on the ledge of the main school building , with a blank expression planted on his face , apparently not sensing the pureblood or even noticing him .

The sight , somehow , reminded him of a young Seiren lying almost lifeless in a pool of her own blood , beside the corpse of her twin .

That memory has never failed to make his heart clench in guilt and despair .

He'd be damned if the same scene repeated itself while he could help it .

He frowned when the child turned around , giving him his back , before swiftly letting himself fall down , choosing to gaze at the sky as it got farther and farther instead of the ground that would soon kill him getting closer and closer .

Kaname stood there , paralysed , watching as the moon shone over Kiryuu's figure , making his silver hair look even more ethereal .

He's going to die ! Even if he's a hunter , he's not immortal . That height can very much kill him or worse .

Snapping out of his daze , the pureblood leapt , meeting the fall midair , successfully catching the child and landing gracefully on two feet .

Chest heaving and falling , Kaname inspected the unresponding silverette , letting out a relieved sigh when he realized Kiryuu had just fainted , out of shock . And by that , he didn't just mean learning the truth .

Recalling the chairman's words , Kaname couldn't help but scoff .

' _He's a smart kid . He'll understand .'_

 _Cross , I think you were too optimistic there_.

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1211 words

updated 14 nov , 2017


	4. Chapter 4

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Kaien has been pacing back and forth for awhile now , his emotions scattered all over the place .

He felt so down , guilty , and worried no matter how much he'd prepared himself for that day .

The pain of losing people was not something new to him . but the same could not be said for zero . the poor child was still too young to be dealing with such agony . he must be feeling alone now , painfully so .

Shaking his head , the chairman felt his eyebrows knitting as he let out a sigh full of despair .

There was nothing he could do , other than trying his best to fill the growing void in Zero's heart . Even if he could not replace his parents , which was never in his plans , he still had to try .

It was going to be difficult though , especially because Zero was not the kind of person to open up that easily .

It would take a lot of time , maybe even years , to get the distant child to warm up to him . But he was not going to give up .

He vowed to protect Zero and Yuki till the last breath ..

The thought made his heart clench .

Seemed like he was fated to look after children with such tragic pasts .

If only he had the power to go back in time and change their fates ..

Inhaling deeply , he found himself standing still in the middle of the living room , not even realizing when he'd stopped pacing around .

Before he could mope around some more , however , he sensed two familiar auras approaching the house .

Confused and worried , he wasted no time rushing to the door and swaying it open before they had a chance to knock , eyes widening when he saw Kaname carrying a sleeping Zero in his arms .

" What happened ? " He'd asked in a whisper as if he feared the answer and , in a way , that was true .

The pureblood gave him a look that confirmed his suspicions . He really wasn't going to like what he was about to hear .

The chairman barely had time to prepare himself before Kaname revealed in a grave tone " He threw himself from the roof . "

Kaien could have sworn his heart stopped at that . His blood ran cold and eyebrows knitted too much he knew it was going to give him a nasty headache . Though he couldn't be bothered with that at the moment .

Zero .. Zero had really wanted to end his life ? And he could have , if it weren't for Kaname interfering .

It was all his fault . he shouldn't have been so confident the child would take it well . He should have been more careful . He should have accompanied him .. he should have kept an eye on him .

He couldn't even begin to imagine what would have become of him if Zero did really succeed . He would have never been able to forgive himself .

It wasn't that difficult knowing what dark thoughts ran in the retired hunter's head and Kaname felt like he had to say something to stop him from thinking of the worst .

" It's a good thing I was heading back to the moon dorms . But I still suggest you keep a close eye on him from now on , even though I doubt he would do it again . "

Kaien could do nothing but nod , agreeing , feeling his eyebrows waver at the effort it took to regain his composure .

He reached forward to take the child into his arms , too distracted and wistful to notice the fleeting hesitance on Kaname's part .

The pureblood , as strange as it may sound , felt his arms tighten protectively around kiryuu , reluctant to give him back to his legal guardian . But it only lasted for a moment before he dismissed that emotion and handed the child to Cross , registering a dull pang of emptiness fill his being when the innocent warmth left his arms .

Still , he didn't think much of it and , with grace , his arms fell back to his sides as he gave the chairman a sympathetic look before wishing him a good night and leaving , already missing the way it felt having that mysterious child pressed against his chest .

He'd only ever felt like that when it had to do with Yuki .

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Back in his room , Kaname relaxed on bed , leaning on the headboard , indulging in the comfort of his midnight blue satin blanket , thoughts wandering to a certain silverette .

He'd just realized something .

If the child had been born mute then he had to be deaf , which he wasn't .

Learning to talk is a result of hearing speech and imitating it . if you can't hear since birth , then you would naturally be mute .

So , Kiryuu couldn't have been born mute . he must have lost his ability to talk because of a trauma , an accident , or a disease . whatever the cause , it couldn't have been the best feeling in the world .

For a six years old child , it seemed like a lot had gone wrong in his life . His inability to talk , the death of his parents .. Definitely not a fate to be envied for .

What does he feel like when everything tumbles down on him like dead weight ? What does he feel like when he wants to scream in frustration or yell to vent his pent up emotions ?

What does it feel like to be deprived of the right to express himself .. When he wants to whisper or shout .. When he wants to sound playful , or sarcastic , or hurt , or any other emotion ?

How can a child possibly cope with such tragic life ?

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The next time Zero opened his eyes , he realized he was back in his room

, sleeping on his bed , though much to his annoyance , he wasn't the only one occupying it .

Chairman cross was practically squeezing the life out of him . Zero tried to squirm his way out of the vice like grip but in vain . Damn the idiot wasn't even budging the slightest .

After a couple of failed attempts , the silverette gave up , letting out a frustrated sigh before closing his eyes and feeling his tense muscles start to relax as he snuggled to the elder , unconsciously craving warmth and protection .

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The next time Zero woke up , he was alone .

Cross must have recently woke up , the child thought as he placed a palm on the unoccupied part of the bed and found it warm .

Oddly enough , he still found himself wanting to sleep.

His eyelids felt like lead , everything seemed like a dream or an illusion .. Is that what it feels like to be disoriented ? He wondered vaguely before closing his eyes and lamenting .

Life took his voice away .

Life took his parents .. It even took his right to end it all , as if to say he didn't even deserve to rest in peace .

Violet eyes fluttered open a moment later , staring ahead aimlessly .

He watched , with distant eyes , as the gentle beam of sunlight caressed every inch it could reach , announcing a new day , as if his pain meant absolutely nothing .

All he could do was curl into fetal position and bring a pillow close to his chest as grief pelted down his face , with no sign of stopping .

It's a minute later that Cross stepped inside the room and witnessed such sight .

Feeling his heart bleed at the child's misery , the ash blonde hunter got closer to the bed and sat on it , gently placing his hand on Zero's shoulder before calling him .

The silver haired little boy sniffed in response , further burying his face in the pillows , trying to muffle his rising cries.

kaien felt his face contort in pain at that and despite having decided he wouldn't scold the child for his actions the night before , he found himself bringing that topic in particular up .

" what were you thinking , Zero ? " he'd asked whilst stroking those silver strands , his concerned gaze watching for any sort of reaction from the said boy .

His tone had been gentle and far from accusing . If zero didn't know what the elder implied , he would have never realized he was being reprimanded .

He did appreciate the way cross treated him .. But no amount of kindness could make him feel better or even regret what he'd wanted to do the night before . Nothing could heal the pain of losing his parents .. Nothing and noone .

It shouldn't be that difficult to understand his feeling .. And

Yet Cross just had to ask that , as if he'd done something unbelievable ..

What was I thinking ?

I wasn't . For a moment , I just wanted to be with them .

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3 Dec , 2017

short update , seeing as how the writer in me is not in the best of moods .


	5. Chapter 5

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Kaien stood in the hallway , leaning heavily on the wall as he watched his little girl try to convince Zero to drink some juice at the very least .

The silverette hasn't eaten anything the whole day , ignoring their attempts to feed him and refusing to get out of bed . They've been trying to convince him he should eat at least a sandwich or a fruit but nothing worked .

Kaien wished he could force the boy to eat . what was he supposed to say ? Eat unless you want me to hit you ?

The retired hunter could sadly do nothing but wait and hope for the child to give in and submit to his hunger . But waiting for that to happen was turning out to be longer than he'd expected and before he knew it , he wasn't the only one waiting .

When yuki woke up in a state better than the night before and wanted to spend time with her adoptive brother , the chairman stopped her before finding himself obliged to tell her the truth . There was no point keeping it a secret anymore , not when Zero himself had found out .

That's how Kaien ended up standing like a statue in the hallway , feeling his heart break into tiny little pieces when Yuki's plea fell on deaf ears .

Disappointed and resigned , the little girl stepped out of the silverette's room and met Kaien's concerned gaze .

Her chin trembled and eyes moistened before she rushed to his arms , letting him embrace her and muffle the noise of her sobs . Reminding Zero of his loss was the last thing she wanted .. In fact , she didn't want it at all .

The young boy didn't even spare them a look , facing the wall and thus preventing eye-contact , not allowing them a chance of witnessing his expression and consequently making it difficult to comfort him . Kaien didn't think it was a good sign . Zero was slowly withdrawing himself from everything and everyone .

It's not like the chairman wanted him to break down and cry his eyes out ..but .. At least crying would have helped alleviate some of his pain . Nothing good would come out of him bottling his emotions inside ..

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The day dragged by slowly and uneventfully .

It was about an hour after sunset that Kaien sat in the living room with yuki resting on his shoulder as they both stared at the television screen with a blank face , drowning out the white noise of whatever drama was playing .

Their gazes weren't even fixed on the scenes taking place , rather the tiny LG logo occupying the lower center of the television frame . they'd occasionally blink in a worn out manner before sighing along in what could only be .. grief .. despair .. Helplessness ..

The rest of the night would have progressed in the same fashion if it weren't for the slightly unexpected presence approaching the house .

Kaien adjusted his position at that before smiling at yuki and telling her to open the door .

At first , the little girl was confused and gave him a questioning look , almost asking why . Nobody rang the doorbell after all . But then she understood and realized there was only person in the world Kaien would trust her to be around .

Expression brightening at the thought of meeting her saviour , Yuki let out a soft and brief laugh before making her way to the front door and opening it .

Kaname-sama looked surprised , though Yuki wasn't sure if it was because of her swaying the door open before he could even ring the bell or if it was because of her recovering .

She decided it didn't matter and welcomed him inside , eventually basking in the familiar warmth of him stroking her chocolate brown locks and shaking her head in understanding when he started apologising for not being able to visit her sooner , considering how sick she looked and actually was , the night before .

" I'm glad you visited at all , Kaname-sama . It doesn't matter when .. I'm grateful you spare time for me despite everything . Besides , I'm feeling much better now . "

Kaname could feel the sincerity radiating from his precious little girl and yet , the happiness she talked about didn't fully reach her eyes , he noted almost immediately .

And that's when he recalled something .. Maybe it had to do with Kiryuu … On second thought , it definitely had to do with him .

" Then why do I see that ? " he questioned vaguely while caressing her face , earning himself a look of confusion in response .

" what ? " Blushing at their proximity , yuki asked in a whisper , feeling her heart beat insanely fast .

He passed her a weak smile before answering " Sadness in your eyes ."

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Zero had lost count of the times his stomach groaned in pain , begging for food and torturing him for not giving it what they both needed .

A bitter scoff escaped his lips at that .

He might have needed food but he definitely didn't want to eat , on the contrary . he felt so depressed to the point of getting nauseous .

He couldn't comprehend or accept the idea of eating or doing anything essential to survive , to live ..

How could he ? When his parents were no longer alive ..

How did Kaien expect him to eat and drink like nothing had happened ?

How could he move on ? When his world has caved in ..

A knock on the door drew his attention . What surprised him even more was the one he sensed outside his room .

Kuran ?

He did sense the pureblood's aura earlier but he didn't think the mighty bloodsucker would dare to approach him . why would he ?

The elder took the liberty of inviting himself in , giving the room a quick scan before settling on the bed gracefully , the thing that got on Zero's nerves more than he cared to admit .

" Excuse me , Kiryuu , but your room doesn't have anywhere else where I can sit . "

Then don't and get out !

The silverette thought , feeling annoyed at Kuran for many reasons . First of all , he didn't want to interact with anyone , much less a pureblood . Besides , he didn't recall allowing the insensitive idiot inside . And more importantly , his body felt sore . he wanted to shift on bed and sleep on his left side but that would mean facing kuran which he didn't want to .

Great !

Lips curling in a frown , Zero almost crossed his arms and threw a tantrum .

It was a good thing he had a calm personality .

Kaname merely chuckled before responding to the child's thoughts .

" No can do , Kiryuu . "

Hearing that and already knowing the nosy bloodsucker could read his thoughts , Zero closed his eyes for a meditating second before taking a deep breath , hoping the brunette would eventually get bored of sitting with a depressed mute .

He was proven wrong , however , when Kaname spoke up again .

" What's the significance of the long hair tradition in your family . "

Lilac eyes shifted from one spot to the other at that . Zero felt his eyebrows knitting as he processed the question directed at him .

Well , that was definitely not expected .

The child let out a scoff at that .

If I didn't know better , I'd say you and yuki are related . She asked me the same thing , almost . She didn't know it was a tradition though .

Well , to answer your question , Kuran , every inch of my hair symbolises one more day I managed to survive . It's a source of pride , an indication of our lifespan and willpower .

Kaname would have been fully satisfied with the answer , if it weren't for Kiryuu implying that yuki and the pureblood could be related .

" what makes you say that , Kiryuu . Anyone would get curious about your hair . " kaname couldn't help but ask even though he knew that doing so might make him seem a little bit too defensive and thus , suspicious .

Still facing the wall , Zero smirked at the elder's attempt of feigning innocence before giving him a response in the form of his thoughts .

My assumptions don't just depend on you two asking the same question or even sharing a great resemblance .. Why would a pureblood like you care so much for a little human girl ? I can understand her attachment to you but I can't see why you would return her affections .

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19 dec , 2017 


	6. Chapter 6

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If Kuran was impressed , he didn't show it . Zero didn't have to be looking at him to know that . He could already read the pureblood enough to know some facts about him like the back of his hands . Kuran was not the kind of person to show vulnerability or go around handing compliments . Showing Ignorance in that term meant a weakness , while giving a praise was as likely as ice not melting in a hot day .

Why the hell was he even exhausting his brain cells on the bastard ?

The little hunter complained to himself , not caring if the elder male could read his thoughts , or maybe forgetting that particular detail at the moment .

It helped that Kuran didn't seem inclined to leave a remark on that . However , it definitely did not sit well with Zero when the vampire leaned closer , terribly so , and whispered in his ears " Let me fill you in on a huge secret , one so dark you may not be able to tolerate it . "

The silverette stilled and literally stopped breathing for a moment . All he could think of was that a damn vampire was too close to the point he could feel his breath ghosting on his skin ..

His lips wrinkled in distaste as he fisted the bedsheets so tight , trying not to give the elder male any satisfaction for that uncomfortable situation .

" if I had truly been born her older brother I would have been much happier . "

The moment Zero heard those words he forgot all about his earlier uneasiness .

What nonsense did Kuran just say ? what kind of riddle was that ? Was he possibly just playing with him ? Or what ? If that was not the case then how much of his words had been true ?

So he was her brother ? but at the same time he wasn't ?

Before the little hunter could tire himself out with some more questions , he felt Kuran retreat before saying " Drink your juice , Kiryuu . " and promptly leaving the room as if he'd never been there to begin with .

From an outsider point of view , kaname's words probably did more good than harm in a sense it served as a distraction for Zero , taking his mind off thinking about his parents . But in the end , his momentary reprieve was bound to reach a point where he told himself he shouldn't give a damn what the pureblood had meant and decided that kuran was most definitely screwing with his head , though a part of him knew better . He could read between the lines .. he knew kuran would not waste his breath on something meaningless .. he could feel the mystery and took it for what it was .

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When yuki decided to check on Zero an hour later , she was pleasantly surprised . The glass she'd filled with juice and begged the silverette to drink was empty .

It probably wasn't much but it was still progress , no matter how diminutive . Yuki felt a surge of warmth tingling in her heart at that . Oh how she wanted to comfort and protect him ..

Forcing herself not to burst into tears , the little girl chose to do something else instead . If Zero had finally agreed to drink , he might do the same with food . Though obviously , he wouldn't leave his bed to do so . She couldn't blame him . In fact , she doubted he'd stop locking himself in his room any time any soon .

It wasn't good for his health , be it physical or mental .. it wasn't good and she really wanted to do something about it .. but she also knew he needed his privacy now more than ever . the least she could do was make sure he ate well .

She could only shake her head at that , knowing fully well that her efforts were pretty much useless compared to what she really wanted to give him . If it was in her power , she would take away all the pain her adoptive brother was currently enduring .

Her thoughts screeched to a halt , however , as she realized something .

 _It wasn't time to feel all depressed_ . yuki berated herself . Zero needed her !

He needed what little help she or anyone could offer .

Nodding to herself , the little girl made her way to the kitchen with newfound determination , beaming when an idea hit her .

A few moments later witnessed her leaving a jar of peanut butter and a plastic bag of toast on the nightstand of Zero's bedroom .

The silverette was wide awake , even if he showed no sign of that . He waited until she left , making sure she wouldn't come back before turning around to look at what she'd placed there . He was just curious .

And as the saying goes ' Curiosity killed the cat . '

Once his gaze landed on the food , every ounce of serenity vanished into thin air and back came rushing a myriad of pain .

 _On rare occasions , when his parents had free time , the three of them would sit in the living room and cramp themselves on the couch despite the fact it was big enough to accommodate five adults just to be close . They'd watch something while his mother made them sandwiches , peanut butter more often than not . they just couldn't resist it_ .

He felt like throwing up .

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Kaien and Yuki were drifting to sleep on the couch when they heard it . The two of them jolted awake to the sound of objects crashing .

They asked no questions , wasting no time to rush out of the living room and barge in Zero's .

Yuki's hand flew to her chest at the sight before her eyes . The room was a mess , pillows littered the floor , along with everything else , the food , the blanket ..even the pair of slippers were thrown in different places .

Zero himself looked like he was screaming as he gripped the curtains tight and pulled , wanting to bring them down and leave nothing intact .

Cross was the first to snap out of shock . He dashed through the mess and tried to pacify the emotionally unstable boy and stop him from doing any more damage . It wasn't easy .

The sight of the little hunter shaking and struggling in the headmaster's arms would haunt yuki's dreams for nights to come .

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The following morning , Zero woke up in the headmaster's room , instantly recalling what he'd done the night before and feeling little to no remorse .

He didn't want to worry them.. But he didn't regret breaking down . It didn't make him feel better but it did something .. it must have done something .. because at the moment , he felt so indifferent .. so neutral .. so grey ..

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When he asked Cross if he could take him to their grave , the man looked hesitant at first but he gave in , eventually .

Normally , Cross never left the academy unless he truly needed to , for many reasons , one of which was his reluctance to leave yuki alone .

Having no other choice , he took the two children with him and drove to the cemetery .

No one spoke a word the whole ride .

It was natural for Zero . But for yuki and cross , it wasn't . Any other day , they'd be laughing and talking nonstop ..

They may have been silent but their minds weren't .

The little hunter was too preoccupied by his thoughts to care about anything . Yuki was worrying over him while Cross himself was concerned about both .

When they finally reached their destination , the silverette sat on the ground , uncaring of the snow beneath him .

He took a deep breath before tilting his head to the side and contemplating a certain issue .

After a moment he got a small notebook out of his pocket and wrote something then turned around and gave it to the elder hunter .

'Do you mind leaving ?'

Kaien frowned at the notebook and lowered it before disagreeing " I can't leave you here , Zero . The academy is too far . you cannot walk that distance . Besides , it's dangerous for you to stay alone . "

Next to him , yuki nodded , recalling that time she'd been attacked by a level E . She definitely didn't want a repeat of that with her brother .

The young boy pursed his lips and thought for a while before taking the notebook and writing a longer piece .

' Fine . If it will make you feel better , leave now and come pick me up before sunset . please . I want to spend some time with my parents .. please .'

The headmaster was about to reject the idea once more but his resolve faltered when he saw those lilac eyes plead him . the words died on his tongue and despite himself , he ended up granting Zero's wish . He'd keep his promise , for the most part . He was going to come back earlier than agreed on . but the silverette didn't need to know that .

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Zero took off his gloves and clutched a handful of snow before he started to mourn .

' It's cold .. The snow is so cold it's making my flesh feel numb .. and yet it cannot compare to the pain I feel here in my heart .. do you know how lonely I feel right now ? I'm sure you don't .. if you did , you wouldn't have left me , right ? '

A flood of smoldering tears gathered in his eyes before he knew it and soon enough he found himself sniffing and squeezing his eyes shut , letting go of the snow he'd been holding so tightly not a minute earlier ..

' When I look around now and take in the picture in front of my eyes , the blanket of snow covering every inch of the land , trees , and houses , I recall the times we used to have fun building snowman .. But it's not a happy memory anymore , it brings me no joy , for It now serves as a constant reminder of that which I can no longer have . '

His cheeks stung after crying so much . He'd tried to wipe the tears at first but quickly gave up when he realized how futile it was ..

Everything seemed pointless at that point , including life itself ..

' You were my sun .. I needed you to grow up , to survive and move on , just like most of the plants . My world has no sun anymore .. Dark ominous clouds have gathered and obscured it from view , never to give it back .. and I'm left in this eternal winter , unable to fend for myself .. '

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The nightclass were peacefully having their lesson when they smelt it .

Blood .

Kaname had noticed that way earlier than anyone else but he didn't want to believe anything until he saw it with his very own eyes . His previously relaxed posture turned alarmed as he glanced through the window next to his seat , his narrowed eyes instantly widening at the sight greeting his vision by the gates of the academy .

Cross was rushing inside , carrying a certain child whose neck had been soaked crimson .

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2048 words

Updated 4 jan , 2018 .

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	7. Chapter 7

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After leaving Takuma in charge of the night class , kaname rushed out of the classroom , no evidence of it in his movements , rather his aura .

Every single vampire could already tell why .

The scent of blood , no matter how dried , was too strong and it didn't help when they could sense a pureblood's scent other than Kuran's lingering in the school , enveloping that particular presence they recently got used to , the young hunter . And that was not the worst part .. their aura had changed to that of an ex-human.

Takuma almost wished he could go with Kaname and see what had happened but he knew better than doing so . Someone had to lead the night class until the brunette male returned .

The blonde noble felt a surge of grief for the little girl .. He'd only seen her once but ..for some reason , he took an instant liking to her . he found it very cruel , the fact she'd been attacked and turned into a vampire at such a young age . he could only imagine how shocking it would be for her , how scared she must have felt when that pureblood attacked her .

She was just a kid ! wasn't being mute bad enough ?

Hoping for the best , Takuma held back a sigh , unable to stop thinking of the silver haired child .

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Yuki had been patiently waiting for the chairman and Zero to come back , proud of herself for having convinced cross that she could stay at home until his return and that he needn't worry about her , especially because she wasn't going to be alone for long .

It was a good thing they had some instant noodles , a meal she could actually prepare without ruining .

She was in the middle of adding flavors when the doorbell rang , making her face brighten up even more , if that was possible .

She went to answer the door , only to freeze in place and widen her eyes at the sight in front of her , unable to even gasp .

Cross , though he didn't want her to see any of that , was so busy panicking over Zero to think of what to say to yuki or how to pacify her .

Fortunately , it was then that Kaname emerged , quickly taking the matter into his own hands .

" Yuki . " he called her name softly and blocked her view until cross walked inside with the unconscious bloodied Zero in his arms .

Even though she could no longer see them , Yuki's eyes were still wide open and slowly moving upwards , responding to Kaname's call . Nothing escaped her mouth though .

She'd wanted to ask many questions but could only part her lips without saying a single word every time she tried to speak .

Kaname was trying to calm her down but , deep inside , he himself was feeling unsettled .

He knew Shizuka's scent and Zero reeked of it . the mad blooming princess who had gone missing and managed to escape before the vampire society could capture and imprison her has finally decided to come back , as it seemed , for revenge .. And ironically , no one saw it coming , not him , not cross .

How could he have not expected the impending danger ? How ? He knew that the kiryuus had killed Shizuka's ex-human lover . He knew she'd gone mad and would possibly seek revenge . but he'd never expected she might be one to kill the kiryuus … it was obvious now that their death had been plotted .

Thinking back , he couldn't believe that such possibility didn't register in his mind the moment Cross told him about the silver haired child .

He knew who Zero kiryuu was , then why did he not think of the danger it could put yuki in ? Why did he not think of shizuka attacking the child ?

Yuki could have gotten involved in the whole mess , could have gotten badly injured or worse . Just the thought of it alone was enough to rile him up .

Kiryuu simply existing near **his** precious girl could have endangered her , still might actually .

How did he not think of that before ?

Blaming himself for what might have happened to yuki , Kaname ended up staying a couple of hours in the house -strictly for yuki's sake - , or so he told himself .

Even if Kiryuu had shizuka's blood and was thus , stable , the fact remained he was not used to being a vampire and might not be able to control his thirst .

Yuki , being a pureblood , even if sealed , her blood would inevitably entice him . He might drink her blood to the last drop ! Forget that , yuki herself , being the kind , albeit , naive little girl she was , might offer to give him her blood even if he tried to resist it , which he won't be able to for long .

Kaname would have to keep those two kids under his deep scrutiny , all the time .. just thinking of it made him want to sigh .. Anything for his girl though , anything ..

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Hours later :

Kaien remained on the chair he'd pulled from his office and placed right next to Zero's bed , frowning deeply as his mind kept replaying the horrifying sight his eyes landed on when he went to pick the child up .. He had no doubt it would continue to haunt his sleep and assault his every waking moment from now on .

He'd already had a bad feeling when he smelt blood but he definitely didn't expect to find his foster son in such condition , the snow beneath and around him had long turned red , his entire left side soaked in crimson from neck to waist , blood splattered randomly in other parts of his clothes , even most of his hair had been stained … Kaien felt his throat drying just looking at it .. His mind was slow to process facts for a moment until he yelled the young hunter's name and scurried his way to Zero , still having so much difficulty believing his eyes .

It was only after he got back home and placed zero on bed , proceeding to wash the blood away with a damp towel , changing him out of the stained clothes and into a clean pyjamas that the full gravity of the situation sunk in his mind .

two times !

Zero could have died , again , because he failed to look after him the way he should have .

 _What kind of father are you_ ?! Kaien inwardly raged , reprimanding himself over and over again until one particularly sharp and sudden movement snapped him out of his thoughts .

the first thing hitting Zero when he woke up was how disoriented and terrified he'd felt . The boy was not exactly aware of anything at first . He knew he'd just seen a nightmare but he couldn't recall any of it until about a minute later .

Everything came rushing back to him , knocking the air out of his lungs , The fact that he just met a pureblood and the words she said , the disaster she did !

Not only did she kill his parents .. she was also the cause of his mutism . All for revenge !

She..

She bit him ..  
A pureblood !  
He'd become a vampire and not only that , a level C .

He could only stare at the same spot for what felt like forever , just spacing out and recalling what had happened , trying to comprehend it all , while cross was trying to get any response from him , and failing , unsurprisingly .

When kaname stepped inside the room , however , Zero tensed up and directed his gaze at him for a moment before he resumed spacing out , only one word echoing in his head like a broken tape ,Pureblood .. pureblood. Pureblood.

Cross felt and looked nervous at that , knowing very well that any vampire , especially a pureblood's presence would not be the smartest thing to have Zero deal with at the moment . He stood up and was about to get Kaname out of the room when the brunette spoke up , his words astonishing the retired hunter .

" Would you mind leaving us alone , Cross ? "

' Yes , I do ' was what Kaien had wanted to say , but the look Kaname gave him spoke volumes of the pureblood's determination and impatience .

Seeing as how the hunter seemed hesitant about leaving , Kaname forced himself to relax , trying to communicate through eye-contact .

You know I won't harm him . His gaze seemed to say . Still , Kaien couldn't bring himself to believe that . He knew that Kaname cared about one person the most and that was Yuki .. If need be , he would not think twice before doing anything for her … Anything .

Letting out a brief sigh , Kaname decided to play on a certain string .

" He needs to face it . I'm sure you didn't forget my advice the last time . "

The chairman has been narrowing his eyes in contemplation until he heard that .

His facial muscles relaxed into minor shock .

He knew what kaname had meant .

The day Kaien brought Zero in ..

He kept the truth from him , worried about his feelings and scared of the consequences .. Kaname had disapproved back then , telling him that the child had to know .

But he didn't listen to that advice.

Thinking back , it might have been better to tell the truth .. But there was no guarantee that Zero wouldn't have attempted to commit suicide like he did later on .

It might have not made much of a difference ..

Kaname's argument wasn't completely valid then ..

But well , he could give it a try . who knows ..

Kaname might be able to get a response from Zero .

And response he did get , few moments later .

As soon as Kaien got out of the room , Kaname wasted no time pulling the chair closer and sitting on it as graceful as expected .

He leant forward and took a moment to think of what to say , eventually speaking .

" kiryuu , I know that you are in no position to .. "

He wanted to say ' talk' but the word died on his tongue , making him pause , struggling to find a less hurtful word .

" to let us know what happened . "

The boy wouldn't have mind or energy to write anything , after all . And even if he had , he wouldn't be revealing it to him , of all people. Kaname knew that much but he still wanted to believe otherwise . He could easily read the boy's mind and find everything out because knowledge has always been essential in his dictionary but he wanted to respect Kiryuu's privacy that time .

" I know it's difficult but the sooner you get used to this change and accept it , the better . If you don't , I'm afraid I will have you moved , to the night class . "

Something inside Zero's head clicked and exploded as he heard that .

Accept the change ? How the hell was he supposed to do that ? And what in the world possessed Kuran to think that he could say that to him like it was the easiest thing in the world ? What did he know ?!

Actually , that was a good question . Did the bastard really not know ? Did he not read his mind already ? If so then why ? What was stopping him ? He'd been doing it for quite some time now and Zero never liked it .

How ironic ! It's when he cares the least about such thing that Kuran decides to be damn noble about it .

Why did he bother pretending ?

And wait . wait !

What's with that tone of finality ? It aggravated Zero beyond belief . What gave that blasted pureblood the right to decide for him ? Oh ! of course , he'd just answered that at the same time .. His being a pureblood did , right ?

The inborn arrogance all purebloods seemed to have didn't stop there .

' Moved ' ? ' Moved ' ?

The hell did that mean ? He wasn't a fucking chess piece to be moved ! And if Kuran thought he was , then **he** should go fuck himself .

That wasn't even the worst part .

The night class ..

Really .. ? After all of the shit he went through ? Zero wanted to cry his eyes out and continue doing so for the rest of his pathetic life , but instead , he moved his head to the right and glared at Kuran , hoping **he** could catch all of the words stored in there .

Kaname wouldn't admit it but , that look took him off guard .. It was intense . Kiryuu's eyes glowed a dangerous red , hatred , disgust , and malice blazing through the thick silence that he filled with a language of a different kind .

He would also never admit the fact it made a shiver run down his spine , not out of fear . No . It was a different emotion that he couldn't quite name .

He'd never seen a child wear such an expression .

Perhaps it wasn't the most diplomatic thing to say but Kaname found himself feeling irrationally upset that Kiryuu chose to direct his anger at him just because he was a pureblood .

" You are looking at me now with eyes full of hatred because of what I am . You are stereotyping , which I find rather silly and childish but that's okay , because that's what you are , a child . "

That had been the last straw . Zero's ice came undone and so did his emotions .

His eyes stung and before he knew it , before he could stop it , a flood of tears gathered in there and rained down his cheeks .

You are right ! I'm but a child ! I shouldn't have to go through all of that . I'm a child that you know nothing of the pain he's enduring . I'm a child you can't understand . you can't figure out how my mind works because you are a fucking adult and a bloodsucker ! You can't possibly understand a fraction of what I'm feeling .

You don't know that she killed my parents and cursed my ability to talk or produce any sound ! And even if you knew , you couldn't come close to imagining what it feels like .

The little hunter suffered a mental breakdown .

He'd never wanted to speak as much as he did then . He'd wanted to yell all of that , to get it out of his system , but he couldn't . he was incapable and deprived . Instead of voicing his feelings , he **had to** write them down ! But he couldn't even do that in such situation , he was too furious to .

At that point , he didn't even know why he was crying , out of rage , frustration , or grief . And really , it mattered not .

Kaname could only watch , frozen in place , as the little boy stormed out of bed and swayed the door open , his aura murderous .

It didn't take a genius to understand the message .

The pureblood would have felt livid and said something along the lines of ' you will regret this , kiryuu ' , if he had been immature .

No one has ever dared to treat him like that . And now a child thinks he could just kick him out ? well , he may have earned such reaction but it was still a blow to his ego .

Growing obstinate , Kaname deliberately remained in his seat for a few seconds , wanting to provoke the hunter and succeeding in doing so , if only for a short span of time .

The moment Kaname walked out of the room , Zero slammed the door after him , startling the elder a little bit.

A genuine and prolonged sigh escaped his lips at that . He was about to head back to the moon dorm when he realized that yuki had been standing in front of him for quite some time and he only noticed it just then . A certain silverette must have consumed too much of his attention if he couldn't even sense his precious girl .

" Kaname-sama , what happened ? "

She'd asked him in a tone that made it quite obvious she feared hearing the answer to that but still had to ask .

He couldn't blame her .

With a smile adorning his face , he crouched down to her level and replied " Nothing much , Yuki . Kiryuu-kun needs a little more time . "

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Almost 'everyone' was asleep when Kaname got back to the moon dorm , with the only exception being his inner circle.

" Kaname-sama . " Aidou and Ruka greeted in unison , earning them a nod from him .

" Kaname , is there anything we should know ? " Takuma asked , already knowing the pureblood would have a list of commands for them to follow in the light of the current circumstances .

True enough , the dorm president gave another nod before speaking up " Kiryuu Zero , the young hunter that cross has recently adopted , has been turned into a level C by Shizuka hio , as you may already know . "

The nobles exchanged solemn looks hearing that . there suspicions were confirmed . Shizuka's actions might cast a shadow on the efforts of their leader towards co-existing with humans . But at least , they had something to say in defence . Shizuka Hio wasn't given the name ' the mad blooming princess ' for no reason . She had gone mad after the death of her ex-human lover and the vampire society wasn't going to be judged for the actions of a mad pureblood . The hunters should be able to understand that much , if they cared about peace as much as they claimed , that is .

" There's no telling if or when she would make a move . I want you all to be alert and report anything out of place . "

" There's also a good chance that Kiryuu-kun would transfer to the night class . I expect you to behave like the adults you are with him . that's all for now . "

Having finished his speech , Kaname made to retire back to his room when Takuma spoke up , halting his steps .

" Him ? " The blonde noble asked in disbelief and confusion , making the pureblood narrow his eyes slightly .

Wait..

Could he have possibly mistaken Kiryuu for a girl ?

Kaname might have chuckled , if he was in a better mood .

" Yes , Takuma . the young hunter is a boy . " Emphasised Kaname before wishing the nobles a good 'night' and heading to his room .

Much to his embarrassment , Takuma heard a familiar voice snickering .

" Sorry . I can't help it . Why would you mistake a boy for a girl ? That's damn funny . " Hanabusa spoke up after failing to muffle his laughter , making the other blonde male frown in a petulant manner .

" If you saw him , you'd understand . " justified the green eyed noble , drawing a series of unconvinced looks from the others .

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Few days later :

Zero remained in his room for the most part , lying on bed , only getting out to use the bathroom .

Kaien and yuki couldn't even try to make him change his mind . They couldn't pressure him about it . And if Zero had been in a different condition , he might have felt grateful for that .

Truth was , he'd spent every moment after that fateful day thinking of what he was going to do .

He'd become a level C , thanks to shizuka's poison . which meant no one could really kill him for being a threat .. The Hunters would not be able to do anything since he was stable . So he had no way out , unless he tried to do it himself . But a few things could kill a vampire . He could starve himself to death but problem was , he might attack someone when the thirst became too much and that , he didn't want at all .

He could use an anti vampire weapon on himself but where would he get that ?

Besides , cross would never let him hurt himself ,

the idiot would keep a close eye on him all the time .

And really , he didn't want to die . He was just a kid .. It scared him to think of dying or killing himself , even if he wanted to be with his parents .

As much as he didn't want to live another second if it meant being a vampire , he couldn't allow himself to give shizuka what she wanted . he wasn't just about to break down over what she'd done to him or his parents . He may have been a child but he was no idiot . He knew Shizuka had given him her blood for a reason and that was to torture him for the rest of his life . She wanted him to live in constant conflict , to hate himself and become so defeated , losing the will to live .. He wasn't going to have that happen . Instead and out of sheer tenacity , he was going to accept himself , just to get on her nerves .

It took a great deal of thinking and willpower until he reached that conclusion . He had no doubt that it wouldn't be a walk in the park but he was nothing if not determined .

He had to accept himself and make peace with his.. new life . Frankly speaking though , he felt stressed about it .

He could say he would accept his vampire side all he wanted and still not be able to do it , because that's how feelings are . They cannot be controlled .

You can't choose who you love .. You can't stop loving them no matter how much you try to . The same could be said for other emotions , like hoping .

You could keep on telling yourself to expect the worst but there would always be that stupid and tiny part in you that clings to hope , as though it cannot be helped .

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A/N

4013 words

updated 12 feb , 2018

Thank you WeirdBlackCat for helping me with the start of this chapter . Sometimes , all it takes is a start .

I may have already had a faint idea where this chapter was going but I didn't know how to start and thus , I ended up feeling lazy until feb 8 ( that's when I created the doc ) .

Thank you all for reading and reviewing .

I hope you enjoy this chapter ~

Xoxo Zerovk


	8. Chapter 8

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It didn't take long before Kaname reached his room where he let out a deep sigh as soon as he closed the door , finally allowing the mask of steel to fall down . Staying calm and well composed the whole time had been , in one simple word , exhausting . He might be a pureblood and all but he carried a weight heavier than anyone could handle . All those years .

Shaking his head at that , he walked to his office and sat on the chair in a grace marred with defeated anguish , slipping into a relaxing position ever so slowly .

He'd made a child cry , ha . And who ? Kiryuu . A sight he didn't expect to see , considering how distant and tough the little hunter seemed .

It might have been too early to tell him he'd be getting moved to the night class if he didn't know how to deal with himself as a vampire .. It probably came out heartless too , Kaname admits , not knowing why it made him feel that guilty .

He should have chosen his words and their timing but well , maybe he wasn't used to taking people's feelings into consideration unless it was Yuki's .

But that , for some odd reason , seemed to be changing and Kaname would be lying if he said it wasn't thoroughly unsettling .

That little boy was taking up most of his thoughts with each passing day , as odd as it may sound .

Maybe it was interest and curiosity he felt . Maybe it was temporary . Whatever it was , he knew it had to go away soon because he couldn't afford to let his attention sway from where it belonged .

Only one person mattered in his opinion and that was definitely not a random hunter kid who'd just recently appeared in his life .

Besides , the fact Cross has decided to look after Kiryuu along with Yuki explained a lot . Of course Kaname would feel concerned about the boy's life because it affects Yuki's , directly or not .

That's about the most plausible reason and conclusion he'd reached so far regarding that matter .

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The next day found the headmaster and Kaname meeting at the doorstep of the former's house . Cross had a picnic food basket in hand and was in fact the one to open the door before Kaname got a chance to knock .

The pureblood reacted with a tilt of head and a small frown .

" Going out ? " Kaname supposed , eyes traveling from the headmaster's figure to the hallway inside , already knowing the kids must be tagging along if that was the case .

" Oh , yes , Kaname . I thought it would be a good idea to spend some time outside . Yuki and Zero must need it , for a change . " Kaien explained , earning himself a nod from the pureblood . He could understand why .

Truth be told though , at that point , one couldn't be sure if it was the kids or Kaien himself who needed fresh air .

Actually , now that he learned about the headmaster's plans for the day , Kaname realized that he too could use some time away from the academy .

A minute later , Yuki walked to them , elated to see her precious savior so soon .

" Kaname-sama ! " She ran to his side and barely resisted the urge to hug him , getting overly excited in his presence , as usual .

" Are you here to join us ? " She beamed at him , the day getting so much better in her eyes , no doubt .

Kaname was about to say no but she beat him to it and spoke up once more , pleading him to go with them .

And because life had a perfect timing for everything , Kiryuu's presence grew closer as he finished getting dressed and made his way out of the house , only to hear Yuki begging the pureblood to join them .

It was going to be wonderful day , wasn't it ? Zero told himself , praying that Kuran would kindly refuse because he had some urgent matters to deal with or something . It shouldn't be that far from the truth . Surely , the arrogant bastard must have dozens of issues to keep him busy .

But a word from Kuran was enough to ruin the whole day for Zero.

Sure .

He'd said it with such a warm expression directed at Yuki that Zero felt ready to throw up . His day is going to suck . Royally .

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The ride to the park had been an awful experience for Zero . If he wasn't mute , he'd still be brooding silently about Kuran's unexpected and definitely unwanted presence . But as luck would have it , Cross and Yuki look overjoyed to have the pureblood accompany them .

Fools .

Sitting in the same enclosed space with that insensitive pureblood was enough to spoil Zero's mood . He couldn't find it in himself to even smile at Yuki's silly behavior .

Sure , he'd decided to live his life to the fullest and not give Shizuka the satisfaction of him hating himself but said is easier than done .

He told himself he was going to accept his vampire side and try his best to tolerate his new race but it was proving difficult . How was he supposed to get along with them ?

The way that cross does . Probably .. Speaking of which how was that even possible ? The way cross looks so comfortable around those vampires in the academy had always felt like a puzzle to Zero .

Aren't they supposed to be natural enemies ? No matter how different or civil those vampires in the school were , it just didn't seem enough of a reason in Zero's eyes for any of the two kinds to completely let their guard down around each other .

It's then that he realized a bad day could turn into days if he got transferred to the night class . He had lots to worry about as it is , like the possibility of Shizuka showing up again .. He really didn't need to worry about anything else , especially staying in a dorm full of vampires .

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As expected , the time they spent in the park wasn't any more enjoyable than the ride had been , at least in Zero's opinion .

He was barely looking forward to having a picnic and Kaname being there didn't help .

A long frustrated sigh left Zero's mouth at that , shoulders deflated as he forced his legs to move and follow the rest .

They had finished eating the sandwiches he'd prepared early in the morning about 15 minutes ago and were now walking out of the park , exploring the western side of town .

He'd eventually come to terms with the fact nothing in that day was going to go the way he wanted until a sudden noise drew his attention .

Was that .. ?

The sound resonated again , making him confirm it .

A nicker !

Steps grinding to a halt , Zero turned his head around , trying to locate the source of the sound , eventually smiling when he found it .

A small double-door gate made of wood with the words " Royal stable " engraved on it .

" Waah ! Can we go inside ? " Yuki's voice sounded next to Zero , snapping him out of his daze . He must have been too absorbed in his own world to notice her beside him .

" Can we ? " She insisted again , turning her head to the elders , already giving them her signature puppy eyes that none of them could resist .

Zero's eyes sparkled as she voiced his thoughts without knowing it . He probably wouldn't have said a word to show his interest and would have kept staring at the stable instead , not feeling comfortable enough to be himself around Kuran .

He didn't know , however , that once he stepped a foot inside , all of that was going to change .

By chance , an old man happened to be passing by in there , pulling a brown stallion behind but he stopped when he noticed them , all gathered in front of the gate like they have never seen a stable before .

They soon learned that his name is Takawa and that he's also the owner of the place .

Zero and Yuki were more than happy to have Mr Takawa show them around fields until they reached the stables where he introduced them to his horses one by one .

Attention well and truly captured , the kids tried to take in as much information as they could about each horse - its name , breed , and personality - .

They never wanted such an experience to end but as they say , there's never enough time to enjoy what you love .

But the disappointment Zero felt in that moment didn't last for long as he noticed a stall on the far end of the stable . It wasn't empty .

Before he knew it , his hand reached for the old man's sleeve and pulled , confusing Mr Takawa .

" Yes , little one . "

With his free hand , Zero pointed towards that particular stall , as if asking ' what about that one ? '

" Oh .. I don't think it would be a good idea . Lily doesn't like visitors ..or anyone . . " The old man felt sorry for Zero and it showed on his face but that wasn't enough to make him concede .

So Yuki took it upon herself to plead , employing her puppy eyes yet again .

It was only a matter of time before the spell worked .

Despite what Mr Takawa had said about the mare a few minutes ago , Zero took an instant liking to her . White Lily !

It looked like she came from a fairytale or something .

Too mesmerised by the mare's beauty , the little hunter walked closer and closer , body moving on its own . He stared and she stared back , slowly approaching him until eventually she stood close enough to be within his reach .

Mr Takawa watched with bated breath , about to say ' I don't wanna watch this ' , already imagining the moment Lily would snap and dreading it .

Surprisingly , what he feared didn't happen at all . In fact , it seemed like Lily shared Zero's sentiments and took.a liking to him to , as bizarre as it may sound .

Mr Takawa couldn't believe his eyes .

He must be dreaming… Or it must be a miracle ! Either ways , it was an opportunity he wasn't going to waste .

" You should take her . " The man turned to right , addressing cross , going as far as offering her for free , explaining how impossible it had been to tame her . Lily was a special one and he liked her , but she didn't seem to think the same .

Cross chuckled in disbelief , trying to find words to disagree but the old man beat him to it .

" If it's about experience with horses , I can give you a book with everything you might need to know included in it . I can also visit you once a week if you need help . I can ask someone I know to build you a small stall for her , with a very tempting discount . "

Cross opened his mouth but nothing came out . Mr Takawa was dead serious , wasn't he , more like desperate .

Still , the idea of adding a stable to the academy wasn't something to decide on a whim , as brilliant as it was .

The headmaster was about to kindly turn down the offer but as he turned his gaze towards Zero and the way he looked at Lily like it was the most fascinating thing he'd seen in his life , words died on his tongue .

He smiled , changing his mind .

" Alright . I guess you gave me no room to say no . "

" Yes ! It's a win win situation ! I won't have to worry about lily . Lily is going to be happy , and so will your little girls . "

For someone as old as Mr Takawa , he sure had lots of energy in him , Cross noted , not bothering to correct him about Zero's actual gender .

Wow . The day sure took a very surprising turn .

Cross smiled and shook his head good naturedly before turning to the left and coming face to face with yet another surprise .

Kaname was smiling , fondly . It might have been too small to notice and he'd have probably missed it if he wasn't looking closely but it was there and the fact he wasn't even aware of it made everything all the more endearing .

For once , The pureblood's attention wasn't focused on Yuki .

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A/n :

2307 words .

Updated 26 Nov , 2018

I know it's been ages ( scratch that , forever ) since I last updated and I'm not pleased with that but I hope you guys are still there and hopefully interested enough to continue reading this .

The way I got inspired for this chapter was unexpected . It's been a long time since I last read anything in the vk fandom because my " read later " list was and still is too intimidating to approach . But recently I tried facing that neverending list and almost finished " Inner beast " by LuanRina and that's how I thought of adding lily here !

So ~ This should hopefully announce my comeback .

Sorry for the long wait , in case you guys were anticipating an update .

Thank you for your time ~

Love you guys .

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Zerovk

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